The idea of an alt-Americana band from Helsinki may sound a bit incongruous, but with Finlandâs the Latebirds, the results are more convincing than youâd initially expect. Last of the Good Olâ Days (Second Motion), the bandâs U.S. debut, states the âbirdsâ case clearly. An enticing collection of rock and folk sounds smartly delivered, Days mixes melancholy self-help entreaties with more angry socio-cultural plaints to decent effect.

Led by the sweetly weedy vocalist Markus Nordenstreng â and abetted by âhonorary Latebirdsâ like ace keyboardist Benmont Tench, Minnie Driver, Levon Helms and Kris Kristofferson â the new release casts a tunefully critical eye toward our modern âbroken world.â In the title track, for example, Nordenstreng reminds us of a truism Hank Williams would recognize, âWeâre all born to die eventually.â In the follow-up mid-tempo paean to carrying on, âAmong the Survivors,â the singer croons over an ear-tickling fuzzy guitar line to someone âlucky to still be alive.â

Experienced geezer music, in other words, sung from the perspective of someone whoâs more than a little surprised to still be around.

If at times the poppy vocals seem to bump against the musicâs grizzled sentiments, the instrumental smarts of the band (which even includes a former member of the cultural instrumentalists Laika & the Cosmonauts) keep you coming back. Ainât a lot of groups thatâd think to add musical saw to a gospel-tinged closeout, but these guys do.

Stand-out track to these ears proves one of the album's angriest: âFearless,â a tribute to murdered Russian journalist Anne Politkovskaja, with a ragingly orchestrated hard-rock backing and lyrics that noodge the dittohead listener to think for themselves. Good olâ didactic, pissed-off protest rock â we could use a lot more of it these days.

The current release also features an EP of five tracks cut at Levon Helmâs Woodstock studio. Three of these are covers of singer/songwriter mainstays Steve Goodman, Kristofferson and Townes Van Zandt, alongside two new Nordenstreng numbers. Though the bandâs slowed-down remake of âCity of New Orleansâ wonât make you forget either the original or Arlo Guthrieâs cover, their folk-rocky Van Zandt cover is worth a listen, while the sound of a croakinâ Kristofferson taking âIn the Newsâ over from the soft-voiced Latebird lead provides a telling contrast. One of the survivors, indeed.

1 Last of the Good Ol' Days
2 Among the Survivors
3 Time To Live
4 Summer Becomes Fall
5 Time Revisited
6 Fearless
7 Like Father Like Son
8 No1
9 Kickin' Me
10 You Cynical You
11 Underwater
12 Last of the Good Ol' Days (Reprise)
13 Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Disc 2
1 City Of New Orleans
2 Blind Admiration
3 At Your Service
4 In the News
5 To Live Is To Fly